Automatic apparatus for washing and drying hands



June 1930, o. HAASE 1,765,915

AUTOMATIC APPARATUS FOR WASHING AND DRYING HANDS meduov. 1o. 192s-Patented June 24, 1930 OSKAR HAASE, F KASSEL, GERMANY PATENT ortiesATOMATIC APPARATUS `FOR 'XVASHING ANlD DRYING HANDS i Application ledNovember 10, 1928, Serial No. 318,442, and in Germany March 1, 1928.

This invention relates to a coinoperated automatic apparatusdistinguished by the accommodation of watersoaphot airandperfume-dispensers in such a manner that these dispensers supply acommon discharge tube, the supply to each dispenser being regulated by acommon mechanism in dependence of the inserted coin. This automaticapparatus, specially designed for the lavatories in restaurants and thelike, is designed to be used for the washing, drying and perfuming ofthe hands without a towel by means of a hot air current in a mannerknown per se.

' The characteristic feature of the invention is the combination andsimplification of the several dispensers to be operated by coininsertionwith positive regulation of the discharge in predetermined successionand at predetermined intervals.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example in theaccompanying drawing in which Fig. l shows the apparatus in verticalsection partly in front elevation.

Fig. 2 is a vertical side elevation in section.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation viewed from below, partly in section.

Figs. 4 and 5 show in two differentpositions the control mechanismoperated by the inserted coin.

In a casing 1 a container 2 for liquid soap, a container 3 for liquidperfume, a pipe 4 connected to a water main or to a water reservoir, afan 5 with tube 6, and an electric heating resistance in said tube arearranged. This fan is of known type and serves to produce a flow of hotair. The discharge pipe 8 from the container 2, the discharge pipe 9 forthe container 3 and the water tube 4 terminate in an intermediate piece10 containing valves 11 for these tubes. On the bottom plate of casing 1a common discharge pipe 12 is arranged comprising a bore 13 for thedischarging of liquid soap and water, a bore 14 for ther discharge ofperfume and further a wide slot 15 for the discharge of hot air from thetube 6. The fan 5 is mounted on a horizontal shaft 17 of an electromotor16, the latter driving through gear wheels 18,

19, shafts 20, 21 and a worm gear 22, a hori zontal shaft 23 ournaled ina frame 24 and on which a number of eccentric discs 25 29 are keyed. Onthese eccentric ldiscs rest rollers mounted in the forkshaped ends 31 oflevers 32 36, said levers being pivoted at 37 on the frame 24. The lever32 is connected by a rod 38 with two elbow levers 39 pivotally mountedon the tube6. These elbow levers 39 carry on their upper arms a plate 40and on their lower Aarms a curved plate 41. The curved plate 40 covers alateral aperture in tube 6 and the curved plate 41 serves to cover thelower mouth of tube 6 in front of the discharge tube 12 and of the wideslot 15 of the same. The mutual position of the plates 40, 41 isselected so that the one plate uncovers the corresponding aperture whenthe other plate covers the corresponding aperture and inversely.

The levers 33 to 36 are connected each by a rod 43 to the correspondingvalves 11, the rods 43 standing the one behind the other. The lever 36is connected by a rod or pull element 44 with a releasing lever 45 forthe slide 46 for the coin underneath the coin slot 47. The coin slide isoperated, in a manner known per se, by a push button 48. 1t acts uponthe switch 49 for the electric circuit in which the apparatus isinserted.

The coin slide and its mechanism are shown in Figs. 4 and 5 on enlargedscale. 50 and 51 are the shiftable catch plates for the coin 52 knownper se. The catch plate 51 has an abutment 53 by means of which it lisretained by a nose 54 of the lever 45, when the mechanism'is beingshifted towards the switch 49 at depression of the push button 48, i.er., when the circuit of the apparatus is closed.

The catch plate 51 is released only when the pull element 44 lifts thecorresponding arm of lever 45 so that the lower arm of this oscillatingelbow lever pushes against a rod 55 so that the switch 49 is reversedfor interrupting the circuit. l

This mechanism might be constructed otherwise and it is illustrated anddescribediloo only b way of example to explain the operation o theapparatus.

The conductor 56 of the switchy leads to the electromotor and to thecontacts 57 for the heating resistance 7.

lVith the aid of this automatic apparatus the hands can be washed, driedand perfumed. When a coin has .been inserted into the slot 47 thecircuit is closed by means of the shifting device 46 as soon as thepushbutton 48 is depressed. The electromotor 16 rotates the fan 5, thecurrent iiowing through the heating resistance 7 lin tube 6, so that theair from fan 5 is heated. The disc 25 is in such position that its lever32 and rod 38 adjust the elbow lever 39 so that the plate 40 uncoversthe aperture 42 in tube 6, plate 41 covering the open end of tube 6towards the discharge tube 12, (position of the elements 39, 40, 41indicated in dash lines). The yhot air which is produced can flow outfrom tube 6 in lateral direction. During this position of the elements39, 40, 41 the eccentric 26 lifts the corresponding lever 33 so that bythe rod 43 of this lever the valve 11 for the tube 8 of the container 2for the liquid soap is opened and liquid soap is discharged for instanceduring five seconds throu h the discharge tube onto the hands hel underthe discharge tube. After disc 26, the shaft 23 driven by theelectromotor 16 continuing to rotate, has lowered its lever 33 so thatthe corresponding valve 11 has been closed, the valve for the tube 4 isopened by means `of eccentric 27 and lever 34 and the correspending rod,for instance twenty'seconds, so that water flows out of the dischargetube 12 and the soaped hands can be washed. The eccentric disc 25adjusts then the elbow lever 39 in such a manner thatthe aperture 42iscovered by the .plate 40 and the lower open end of tube 6 is uncoveredby plate 41. The hot air flows out of the discharge tube 12 during fortyseconds so that the hands are dried without the use of a towel. Forquite a short time, about 3 seconds, perfume is ejected through tube 9into the discharge tube 12 from container 3 through the intermediary ofeccentric disc 28, lever 25 and the corresponding rod and valve so thatthe washed and dried hands are perfumed. The rotation-of shaft 23continuing, the eccentric disc 29 reverses, through the intermediary ofthe lever 26, pull element 44 and, lever 45, the elementy 46 so that theswitch 49 is reversed, the circuit interrupted, the motor 16 stopped andthe currentv cut olf from the heating resistance 7.

This .apparatus Works absolutely automatically andit can be connected toany existing electric line.

I claim An automatic apparatus for washing and drying hands, comprisingin combination with a casin a container for liquid soap, a container orliquid perfume, a tube connected to a water supply, a fan and anelectric heating resistance, a tube enclosing said fan and heatingresistance, a common discharge tube, means for connectin said severalelements with said common ,discgharge taba. an electric; mutato: theffm,Bald electric motor and said heating resistance inserted infa circuit, aswitch for closing said circuit, and for establishing in predeterminedsuccession and intervals the communication of said containers, watertube ang hot air with said common discharge tu e.

In testimony whereof I ax my signature.

' OSKAR HAASE.

